anner.themummy-第61部分

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　〃That's　madness；〃　　Julie　interjected。〃　You　can't　even　consider　it。　You'll　make　the　thing　stronger。〃
　
　〃Listen；　both　of　you；〃　　Ramses　said；〃　to　what　I　have　to　say。　Cleopatra　is　only　part　of　this　tragedy。　The　Earl　knows　the　secret　now　with　certainty。　It　is　the　elixir　itself　that　is　dangerous；　more　dangerous　than　you　know。〃
　
　〃People　will　want　it；　yes；〃　　Julie　said；〃　and　they　will　do　anything　to　get　it。　But　Elliott　can　be　reasoned　with；　and　Henry　is　a　fool。〃
　
　'〃There's　more　to　it　than　that。　We　are　speaking　of　a　chemical　which　changes　any　living　substance　by　which　it　is　absorbed。〃　　Ramses　waited　a　moment；　glancing　at　both　of　them。　Then　he　went　on：〃　Centuries　ago；　when　I　was　still　Ramses；　ruler　of　this　land；　I　dreamed　I　would　use　this　elixir　to　make　food　and　drink　aplenty　for　my　people。　We　would　have　famine　no　more。　Wheat　that　would　grow　back　instantly　after　every　harvest。　Fruit　trees　that　would　bear　forever。　Do　you　know　what　came　to　pass？〃
　
　Fascinated；　they　stared　at　him　in　silence。
　
　〃My　people　could　not　digest　this　immortal　food。　It　stayed　whole　in　their　insides。　They　died　in　agony　as　if　they　had　eaten　sand。〃
　
　〃Ye　gods；〃　　Julie　whispered。〃　Yet　it's　perfectly　logical。　Of　course！〃
　
　〃And　when　I　sought　to　burn　the　fields　and　slaughter　the　immortal　hens　and　milk　cows；　I　saw　the　burnt　wheat　spring　to　life　as　soon　as　the　sun　shone　on　it。　I　saw　burnt　and　headless　carcasses　struggle　to　rise。　Finally　it　was　all　cast　into　the　sea；　weighted　and　sent　to　the　very　bottom；　where　surely　it　remains；　whole　and　intact；　to　this　day。〃
　
　Samir　shuddered；　he　folded　his　arms　over　his　chest　as　if　he　were　cold。
　
　Julie　looked　steadily　at　Ramses。〃　So　what　you're　saying　is　。。。　if　the　secret　fell　into　the　wrong　hands；　whole　regions　of　the　earth　could　be　rendered　immortal。〃
　
　〃Whole　peoples；〃　　Ramses　answered　soberly。〃　And　we　who　are　immortal　hunger　as　much　as　the　living。　We　would　crowd　out　the　living　to　consume　what　has　always　been　theirs！〃
　
　〃The　very　rhythm　of　life　and　death　would　be　endangered；〃
　
　Samir　said。
　
　〃This　secret　must　be　destroyed　utterly！〃　　Julie　said。〃　If　you　have　the　elixir　in　your　possession；　destroy　it。　Now。〃
　
　〃And　how　do　I　do　that；　dearest？　If　I　hurl　the　dry　powder　into　the　wind；　the　tiny　particles　cleave　as　they　fall　to　the　earth；　waiting　for　the　first　rain　to　liquefy　them　and　carry　them　down　to　the　roots　of　the　trees；　which　they　will　make　immortal。　If　I　pour　the　liquid　into　the　sand；　it　pools　there　until　the　camel　es　to　drink。　Pour　it　into　the　sea　and　I　give　birth　to　immortal　fishes；　serpents；　crocodiles。〃
　
　〃Stop；〃　　she　whispered。
　
　〃Can　you　consume　it　yourself；　sire；　without　harm　ing　to　you？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。　I　would　imagine　that　I　could。　But　who　knows？〃
　
　〃Don't　do　it！〃　　Julie　whispered。
　
　He　gave　her　a　faint；　sad　smile。
　
　〃You　care　still　what　bees　of　me；　Julie　Stratford？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　care；〃　　she　whispered。〃　You're　only　a　man；　with　a　god's　secret　in　your　possession。　I　care。〃
　
　〃That's　just　it；　Julie；〃　　he　said。〃　I　have　the　secret　in　here。〃　　He　tapped　the　side　of　his　forehead。〃　I　know　how　to　make　the　elixir。　What　happens　to　the　few　vials　I　possess　does　not　ultimately　matter；　for　I　can　always　brew　more。〃
　
　They　looked　at　each　other。　The　full　horror　of　it　was　impossible　to　enpass　steadily。　One　had　to　view　it；　draw　away　from　it　and　then　reexamine　it　again。
　
　〃Now　you　understand　why　for　a　thousand　years　I　shared　the　elixir　with　no　one。　I　knew　the　danger。　And　then；　with　the　weakness　of　a　mortal　man…to　use　your　modern　phrase…I　fell　in　love。〃
　
　Julie's　eyes　again　filled　with　tears。　Samir　waited　patiently。
　
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　　Ramses　sighed。〃　I've　been　a　fool。　Two　thousand　years　ago；　I　watched　my　love　die　rather　than　give　the　elixir　to　her　lover…Mark　Antony；　a　dissolute　man；　who　would　have　hounded　me　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　for　the　formula　itself。　Can　you　imagine　those　two；　immortal　rulers？　'Why　can　we　not　make　an　immortal　army？'　she　said　to　me　when　his　influence　had　thoroughly　corrupted　her。　When　she　had　bee　his　pawn。　And　now；　in　this　day　and　age　of　astonishing　wonders；　I　overruled　her　last　words　to　me　and　brought　her　back　to　life。〃
　
　Julie　swallowed。　The　tears　poured　down　silently。　She　no　longer　even　wiped　at　them　with　the　little　handkerchief。　She　reached　across　the　table　and　touched　the　back　of　his　hand。
　
　〃No。　Ramses；　it　isn't　Cleopatra。　Don't　you　see？　You've　made　a　terrible　mistake；　yes；　and　we　must　find　a　way　to　undo　it。　But　it　isn't　Cleopatra。　It　cannot　possibly　be。〃
　
　〃Julie；　I　made　no　mistake　on　that　account！　And　she　knew　me！　Don't　you　understand？　She　called　my　name！〃
　
　Soft　music　drifted　from　the　Mena　House。　There　were　twinkling　yellow　lights　in　its　windows。　Tiny　figures　moved　back　and　forth　on　its　broad　terrace。
　
　Cleopatra　and　the　American　stood　in　a　dark　tunnel；　high　up　on　the　pyramid；　the　burial　shaft。
　
　Feverishly　she　embraced　him；　slipping　her　silk…covered　fingers　into　his　shirt。　Ah；　the　nipples　of　men；　so　tender；　such　a　key　to　torment　and　ecstasy；　how　he　writhed　as　she　twisted　them　ever　so　gently；　her　tongue　darting　in　and　out　of　his　mouth。
　
　All　the　bravado　and　high　spirits　were　gone　now。　He　was　her　slave。　She　ripped　the　linen　fabric　back　off　his　chest；　and　plunged　her　hand　down　under　his　leather　belt　to　the　root　of　his　sex。
　
　He　moaned　against　her。　She　felt　him　gathering　up　her　skirts。　Then　suddenly　his　hand　stopped。　His　whole　body　stiffened。　Awkwardly　she　turned　her　head；　he　was　staring　down　at　her　naked　leg；　her　foot。
　
　He　was　staring　at　the　great　strip　of　bloody　bone　exposed　in　her　leg；　at　the　fan　of　bones　in　her　foot。
　
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　　he　whispered。　He　drew　back　from　her　against　the　wall。〃　Jesus　Christ！〃
　
　A　low　growl　of　rage　and　hurt　broke　from　her。〃　Take　your　eyes　off　me！〃　　she　screamed　in　Latin。〃　Turn　your　eyes　away　from　me！　You　will　not　look　at　me　in　disgust。〃
　
　She　sobbed　as　she　grabbed　his　head　with　both　hands　and　banged　it　against　the　stone　wall。〃　You　will　die　for　this！〃　　she　spit　at　him。　And　then　the　twist；　the　simple　little　twist。　And　he　was　dead；　too。
　
　That　was　all　that　was　required；　and　now　there　was　blessed　silence　and　his　body　lying　there；　like　the　body　of　the　other；　with　the　money　showing　under　his　sagging　coat。
　
　Her　wounds　could　not　kill　her。　The　blast　of　heat　from　the　one　called　Henry　had　not　killed　her；　the　blast　which　made　the　horrible；　unbearable　noise。　But　all　it　took　to　kill　them　was　this。
　
　She　looked　out　of　the　opening　of　the　shaft；　down　over　the　dark　ocher　sands　towards　the　soft　tights　of　the　Mena　House。　Again；　she　heard　the　music；　so　sweet；　drifting　on　the　cool　air。
　
　Always　cool　at　night；　the　desert。　And　almost　dark；　wasn't　it？　Tiny　stars　above　in　the　azure　sky。　She　felt　a　strange　moment　of　peace。　Nice　to　walk　alone；　away　from　them　in　the　desert。
　
　But　Lord　Rutherford。　The　medicine。　Almost　dark。
　
　She　bent　down　now；　took　the　American's　money。　She　thought　of　the　beautiful　yellow　motor　car。　Ah；　that　would　take　her　back　to　where　she'd　e　from　very　swiftly。　And　now　it　was　hers　all　alone。
　
　Suddenly　she　was　laughing；　thrilled　by　the　prospect。　She　rushed　down　the　side　of　the　pyramid；　dropping　easily　from　one　stone　block　to　the　one　below　it；　so　much　strength　now；　and　then　she　ran　towards　the　car。
　
　Simple。　Press　the　electric　starter　button。　Then　push　the〃　gas　pedal。〃　　At　once　it　began　to　roar。　Then　forward　on　the　stick；　as　she　had　seen　him　do　it；　as　she　depressed　the　other　pedal；　and　miracle　of　miracles；　she　was　racing　forward；　giving　a　mad　turn　to　the　wheel。
　
　She　drove　in　a　great　circle　before　the　Mena　House。　A　few　terrified　Arabs　scurried　out　of　her　path。　She　hit　the　throbbing〃　horn；〃　　as　he　had　called　it。　It　frightened　their　camels。
　
　Then　she　made　for　the　road；　pulling　the　stick　back　again　to　make　it　go　faster；　then　shoving　it　forwards；　just　as　she　had　seen　him　do。
　
　When　she　came　to　the　metal　pathway；　she　stopped。　She　clutched　the　wheel；　trembling。　But　no　sound　came　from　the　great　empty　reaches　of　the　desert　to　right　and　left。　And　ahead　lay　the　lights　of　Cairo；　such　a　sweet　spectacle　under　the　paling；　star…filled　sky。
　
　〃　'Celeste　Aida！'〃　she　sang　as　she　started　up　and　raced　forward　once　more。
　
　〃You　asked　for　our　help；〃　　Julie　said。〃　You　asked　for　our　forgiveness。　Now　I　want　you　to　listen　to　me。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　want　to；〃　　Ramses　said　in　a　heartfelt　voice；　but　he　was　puzzled。　〃Julie；　it　is　she　。。。　beyond　question。〃
　
　〃The　body；　yes；〃　　Julie　responded。〃　It　was　hers；　without　doubt。　But　the　being　who　lives　now？　No。　It　is　not　the　same　woman　you　once　loved。　That　woman；　wherever　she　is；　has　no　consciousness　now　of　what　is　happening　to　this　body。〃
　
　〃Julie；　she　knew　me！　She　recognized　me！〃
　
　〃Ramses；　the　brain　in　that　body　knew　you。　But　think　about　what　you　are　saying。　Think　about　the　implications。　The　implications　are　every　thing；　Ramses。　Our　intellects…our　souls；　if　you　will…they　don't　reside　in　the　flesh；　slumbering　for　centuries　as　our　bodies　rot。　Either　they　go　on　to　higher　realms　or　they　cease　to　exist　altogether。　The　Cleopatra　you　loved　ceased　to　exist　in　that　body　the　day　it　died。〃
　
　He　stared　at　her；　trying　to　grasp　this。
　
　〃Sire；　I　think　there　is　wisdom　here；〃　　Samir　said。　But　he　too　was　confused。〃　The　Earl　says　that　she　knows　who　she　is。〃
　
　〃She　knows　who　she　is　supposed　to　be；〃　　Julie　said。〃　The　cells！　They　are　there；　revitalized；　and　possibly　some　memory　is　encoded　within　them。　But　this　thing　is　a　monstrous　twin　of　your　lost　love。　How　can　it　be　more　than　that？〃
　
　〃This　could　be　true；〃　　Samir　murmured。〃　If　you　do　what　the　Earl　suggests…if　you　give　her　more　of　the　drug；　you　may　only　be　revitalizing　a　。。。　a　demon。〃
　
　〃This　is　beyond　my　understanding！〃　　Ramses　confessed。〃　It　is　Cleopatra！〃
　
　Julie　shook　her　head。〃　Ramses；　my　father　has　been　dead　no　more　than　two　months。　There　was　no　autopsy　performed　on　his　remains。　The　only　embalming　done　upon　him　was　the　age…old　miracle　of　the　Egyptian　heat　and　desert　dryness。　He　lies；　intact；　in　a　crypt　here　in　Egypt。　But　do　you　think　I'd　take　this　elixir；　if　I　had　it　in　my　hands；　and　raise　him　from　the　dead？〃
　
　〃God　in　heaven；〃　　Samir　whispered。
　
　〃No！〃　　Juli